| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded. | 1Soon Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” |
| 2“All right,” Nahash said, “but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!” | 2But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you on one condition, that I may put out everyone’s right eye and bring reproach upon all Israel.” |
| 3“Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.” | 3“Hold off for seven days,” replied the elders of Jabesh, “and let us send messengers throughout Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.” |
| 4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears. | 4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud. |
| 5Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh. | 5Just then Saul was returning from the field, behind his oxen. “What troubles the people?” asked Saul. “Why are they weeping?” And they relayed to him the words of the men from Jabesh. |
| 6Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. | 6When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger. |
| 7He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the LORD made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. | 7He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them by messengers throughout the land of Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not march behind Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the LORD fell upon the people, and they turned out as one man. |
| 8When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah. | 8And when Saul numbered them at Bezek, there were 300,000 Israelites and 30,000 men of Judah. |
| 9So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived! | 9So they said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’ ” And when the messengers relayed this to the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced. |
| 10The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” | 10Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do with us whatever seems good to you.” |
| 11But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together. | 11The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions, and during the morning watch they invaded the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them, until the hottest part of the day. And the survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together. |
| 12Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!” | 12Then the people said to Samuel, “Who said that Saul should not reign over us? Bring those men here so we can kill them!” |
| 13But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the LORD has rescued Israel!” | 13But Saul ordered, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.” |
| 14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” | 14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.” |
| 15So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the LORD they made Saul king. Then they offered peace offerings to the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy. | 15So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly. |
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